I Would Set You Free
by NattyWright
Summary: A gift for Aeowyn. Lyna Mahariel and Leliana go on a holiday to Antiva City. Fluff and Angst.


**Author's note**

 **As part of my writer's group, we have all been given each others wardens to write for. Here is my entry for Aeowynn's warden Lyna Mahariel.**

 **Check out Scarlet Arachnids entry for my Lyla, it's supreme.**

Antiva City was beautiful, Leliana had never quite seen something like it. The city was built into the bay, leaving winding raising streets filled with interesting buildings and houses. The moonlight shone and reflected off the ocean, illuminating the city in a way that Leliana would never have imagined.

Lyna stood beside her, leaning against her arm and keeping her warm as the cold sea breeze hit them. The scents of seawater and wine brushed past them and Leliana decided she needed a drink to start this holiday off right.

Numerous brothels lined the city streets as they walked hand in hand, they ignored all the offers and come-ons from the whores, smiling as they brushed past. The world was nice but she had Lyna now and that was nicer.

Zevran had recommended a charming little inn in the centre of the city, promising it was just an inn, and Leliana was more excited than she cared to admit to seeing it.

She loved travelling, she shouldn't really the memories of it were painful, but the thrill of discovering a new place was still there. When she had been a bard, she had travelled all over Orlais for Marjolaine, and she had loved it.

 _You loved me._

Her old mentor's voice still rang in her head, reminding her that really she was nothing, and she was a fool to believe in anything but that. A fool to believe in Lyna, but she tried her best to ignore it.

"Ma vhenan," Lyna whispered into her ear. The elf was tall, and she barely had to bend her neck to get so close. "Are we nearly there?"

Of course, Lyna had no idea how to get around human cities, it was an entirely different world for her. She had learnt much of Denerim over the past year, and Redcliffe, but this was new, completely new.

"Not far, my love," the words tasted bittersweet on her tongue but she needed to say it regardless.

 _It's a lie._

That voice again, poisoning her mind even after she was gone. How she wished to be free but a woman like her doesn't deserve that.

They strolled past the night markets, still busy even after dark, and stopped to have a browse. Antiva was known for a few things, their leatherwork was world class and sought after across Thedas. Wine, that was Leliana's favourite export, the wine from Antiva was better than any other, including Orlais. But this market specialised in something else entirely. Jewellery. Rubies, diamonds, sapphires, all were mined and perfected here.

Necklaces lay on beautiful velvet coverings as merchants tried to attract the customers. They had a wary eye on Lyna, her vallaslin marking her as different and suspicious, but they ignored it.

"Love, look at this," Leliana spotted a beautiful golden headdress, embellished with gorgeous vibrant blue sapphires. "It matches your eyes perfectly, mon amour. We have to get you it."

 _Do you think it will matter? She will never love you._

Leliana scrunched her eyes and rubbed her temples. The voice, she wouldn't use that woman's name, wouldn't leave her alone today.

 _Foolish girl, do you think she loves you? Did you believe anyone could?_

Lyna's arms were around her before she knew what happened. Her face was pressed into Lyna's neck, arms were folded around her and she felt safe and warm.

The tears flowed freely as she wrapped her arms around her lover, how she wished she could believe that she deserved this but she didn't, not really.

She was a monster, she must be, and love was only a lie that people like her lived. Soon, Lyna would realise that and leave her, she had too, right?

"Ma vhenan," Lyna's accent rang through her ears, knocking the evil thoughts from her mind, and Leliana looked up into the sea of Lyna's soul. "It's her again, isn't it?" Leliana nodded and Lyna pulled her closer, blocking the world out and leaving her surrounded by love. "She's wrong, love, so very wrong. You are worth this, you deserve this, I wish you could see yourself as I see you. A beautiful, strong woman, who is silly enough to love me."

She laughed, an ugly, snorting giggle that set Lyna off and suddenly the tears stopped. Lyna stared into her eyes as her laughter finally settled and Leliana stood on her tiptoes to plant a chaste kiss on the elf's beautiful lips.

They would work, she knew it and she would prove that voice wrong.

The inn was disgustingly cute, filled with enough frilly, pink lace to fill all of Orlais but Lyna loved it. Why Leliana couldn't work out, but if the elf was happy then so was she.

They had slept well, in each other arms as always since the blight, and Leliana had been awoken with fresh elfroot tea. Lyna was the biggest sweetheart she had ever met and she was grateful.

A small hut on the beach just outside of the city was their destination and they had been walking for nearly half the day to get there, it was meant to be idyllic, as close to the Maker, or the Creators, as one could get in this world.

Maybe then she could be happy.

 _Foolish girl._

It had not stopped all day, every little thing Lyna had done had just made the voice louder, harder to ignore but Leliana would stay strong.

She gripped onto Lyna's hand a bit tighter, feeling the little scars and callouses, and in her mind, she knew Lyna was beautiful. The scars just told her story, showed how strong a person she is and how powerful her enemies must have been but how much more powerful she was. Her love was a weapon, the strongest she had ever met, and it filled Leliana with delight.

 _Weapons hurt people, that's what you deserve._

"SHUT UP!" Leliana screamed. She dropped to her knees and grabbed her head. "Get out of my head! Leave me alone!" her screams echoed through the empty countryside. "Please, just leave me alone." Her voice was a whisper, her throat hurt and her eyes burned.

 _Do you forget everything I taught you, Leliana? This is who you are, this is what you deserve. Happiness is a lie, pain is the truth._

"Shut up." Lyla held her head, looking into her eyes as she spoke. "You will not hurt ma vhenan anymore. You are dead, you are not real, you are pathetic. Leave her alone or I swear to my gods and yours, I will find a way to end you."

Her eyes shot daggers into Leliana's and for a long, bittersweet moment she was terrified of her lover, but it was gone as quick as it came. Lyna cared for her, she knew that, but she was willing to put up with all of her flaws, and that was worth more than anything she could have ever wanted.

"I love you," Leliana kissed Lyna. A sweet, deep kiss that said more than those three words ever could. It was an oath, a promise, a declaration and it was a demand for more.

"Ar lath ma, ma vhenan. Ar lasa mala revas," Lyna softly spoke in her mother tongue. She did not use it often but it always melted Leliana's heart when she did. "I love you, my heart. I give you your freedom."


End file.
